(NC)-Certain consumer products are prohibited or regulated in Canada for safety reasons. Some of the items you, as a parent, go looking for in the United States or other countries could be illegal because they could put your child at risk.

Before you go cross-border shopping, make a note of the products that are prohibited or regulated in Canada, to prevent surprises when re-entering Canada.

These are examples of products that are prohibited in Canada:

Baby walkers - children have either fallen down stairs in a baby walker or have increased access to hot surface and liquid or electrical cords;

Hockey helmets and face protectors - must meet the requirements of the Canadian Standards Association; and

Playpens - must meet labelling and performance requirements.

We put so much time and effort into planning what to pack for vacation that many of us forget to think about what we can bring back. The Health Canada website, www.healthcanada.gc.ca/travellingcanadians, explains all of this and has links to the lists of prohibited and regulated products in Canada.